The Origin of Garuda (Part 1) Two Curses

Garuda is the powerful eagle in Hindu Mythology. He is the King of the Birds — as powerful as Indra himself. This is his origin story as told in the Mahabharata.

Indra’s Curse

A sacrifice was underway. Sage Kashyapa — one of the great sages in Hindu mythology — himself led the ceremony in order to beget children.

People from all over the universe arrived at the ceremonial site eager to help Kashyapa. Even Indra (Lord of the Celestials, weilder of the thunderbolt) offered his help.

Indra was tasked with bringing firewood for the sacrifice. Indra was mighty. He gathered a huge heap all by himself and rushed back to the ceremonial site.

On his way back, he came across a group of sages. They looked strange. For one, they were as short as a thumb and extremely thin. With great difficulty, they were carrying a single stalk of a Palasa leaf (Flame of the Forest). Unfortunately, they had fallen into an indentation in the road caused by the cow hoof. And were struggling to move.

You might expect the Lord of Celestials to be wise and kind. But in that moment, Indra lost control and laughed at the plight of the tiny sages — insulting them in the process.

What Indra didn’t know is that the sages, though small, were extremely powerful. They were known as the Valakhilyas and they cursed Indra:

“There will be another Indra of all the celestials, capable of going everywhere at will, mustering any measure of strength at will, and imparting fear to the present Indra.

By the fruit of our penances, let there be born a hero, who is hundred times stronger and valourous than Indra, fleet as the mind and frightful to the present Indra.”

Indra was now scared. He rushed to Kashyapa and sought his protection from the curse.

Kashyapa spoke to the Valakhilyas. He pointed out that the “present Indra” was appointed as lord of the Three Worlds by Lord Brahma himself. What the Valakhilyas were trying to do would make Lord Brahma’s words untrue.

However, the Valakhilyas’ words too couldn’t be reversed. And so, Kashyapa presented a solution. “Let there be an Indra of the winged creatures,” he said.

The Valakhilyas said that their words were meant not just to create a new Indra, but also to help Kashyapa with his wish to have children. They said that the son born to Kashyapa would be the King of Birds.

Vinata’s Curse

With the sacrifice successful, Kashyapa asked his two wives Kadru and Vinata for a boon.

Kadru and Vinata were both daughters of Prajapati (Brahma). Kadru wished for 1,000 snakes as sons. Vinata wanted two sons, but wanted them both to be more powerful than Kadru’s children.

Kashyapa granted them their boons and left for the forest.

As time passed by, Kadru gave birth to 1,000 eggs, while Vinata to two eggs. The eggs were preserved in warm vessels.

Five hundred years passed. Kadru’s 1,000 eggs hatched. Out came 1,000 snakes.

But Vinata’s eggs stayed as they were. Seeing Kadru’s children, Vinata was disappointed. She broke open one of the eggs to see if her children too were ready to be born.

Inside, she found her child with only the upper half developed. The child emerged and cursed Vinata, “Out of jealousy for your sister, you broke open this egg prematurely. You will be a slave to that very sister.”

The child also declared when the curse would be lifted, “Wait patiently for 500 years and let the other egg hatch on its own. That son will deliver you from your slavery.”

Saying this, the half-developed child, called Aruna, flew away.

That second son was Garuda, the bird destined to be even more powerful than Indra. His brother Aruna became a charioteer to the sun, as we’ll see later in this story.